davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1887-06-09
"The Queens Pine"

In the centre of the tobacco ware
houses at the London docks there is an
immense kiln, which is kept continually
burning day and night, and goes by the
name of the queens tobacco pipe. The
English government has different way
of treating confiscated articles than that
in use il this country, one of them being
to utilize them as fuel for what is termed
the queens smoking. Whenever mer-
chandise is seized for nonpayment of
duty, or because it is considered under
the law as in damaged or unstable
condition, it is taken to this great kiln
and burned there, the owners having no
remedy. The only utilization that is
made of these seizures is from the sale
of the ashes from the furnace, which, to
the amount of great many tons month,
are sold by auction 10 chemical works,
and to farmers and others to be used in
enriching the soil. There is similar
but smaller queens tobacco pipe In the
government tobacco warehouses at Liver
pool, these two forming the points of
destruction, for all confscated merchan-
disc in the United Kingdom. i Com
mercial Gazette.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1887-06-09

A woman, whose life has been long
and chcquered with many rcverscs, said
lately: Nothing has given me more
courage to face every days duties and
troubles than few words spoken to me
when l was a child by my old father.
He was the village doctor. came into
his Office, where he was compound
ing medicine, one day, looking cross and
ready to cry.
"What is the matter, Mary2"
pm tired I've been making beds
and washing dishes all day, and every
day and what good does it aol To-
morrow tho beds will be to make and
The dishes to wash over again.
Look, my child he said, do you
see these little empty vialea They are
all ms gnificant, cheap things, of no
value in themselves; but in one put a
deadly poison, in another a sweet per-
fume, in third healing medicine.
Nobody cares for the vials; it is
that which they carry that kills or cures.
Your daily work, the dishes washed or
the floors swept are homely things and
count for nothing in themselves; but it
is the anger or the sweet patience or
zeal or high thoughts, that you put into
them that shall last. These make your
life"
No strain is harder upon the young
than to be forced to do work which they
feel is beneath their faculties, yet no
discipline is more helpful. "Thc wise
builder" says Bolton, watches, not
the bricks which his journeyman lays,
but the manner in which he lays
them"
The man who is half hearted and lag
ging as private soldier will be half
hearted and tagging as a commander.
Even in this world, he who uses his
talents rightly as servant is often given
the control of many cities. i Youths
| Companion.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1887-06-09
Temptations or q Brokers' Life.

From tho start the boy entering
brokers' office will be intrusted with
large sums of money to carry to the bank
or to customers. He may be in an office
where bank bills and shining gold are
within his reach all the time; and he
will be SO completely absorbed in the
subject of stocks, bonds and money, that
it will be somewhat strange if he does
not soon begin to look at the getting OF
money as the most important business of
life. And when he is little older and
becomes clerk or cashier, he will be ex-
posed to the temptation to increase his
income by stock gambling--''s ''speculat-
ing" as it is called--on his own account.
Such ventures are, of course, very
hazardous, and on all accounts should be
Stunned. A broker requires great
strength OF character to resist the tempta-
ton to get wealthy by false methods;
and boy should think long and well
before he adopts the calling.
For the brokers' business is at best
unstaple. The work is done quickly in
the midst of great excitement and at
'high PRESSURE" as we say. As money
comes quickly and easily to the broker,
it is not so highly priced as if it were
earned by the toll which produces a
visible result, and it usually goes as
quickly as it comes. Brokers, of course,
defend their own occupation. They
will tell you that their services as agents
in securing stocks and bonds arc need
ed; but they do not deny that stock
brokerage would cease to be profitable
Msiness, except to very few firms, ii
people were to stop specu-
lating in securities. OF course there are
many men in this business who have
risen to wealth and to cminence as fnan.
ciers who would scorn to do mean
or dishonorabc act. All honor to such
men, because they must often have been
sorcly tempted to do ong.-[St.
Nicholas.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1887-06-09
A Geological Phenomenon.

In many parts of the world abundant
evidence shows that the land is still
slowly rising or sinking, producing
gradual changes that in the course of
ages will completely transform the
earth's topography. One of the most
remarkable examples has been furnished
by Sweden and Finland. Lyell long
ago estimated that portions of Sweden
arc being elevated about four feet in a
century, and surveys just made in Fin
land once more prove that the shores of
the Blltic arc steadily rising. M.
Vcnukoff reports to the French academy
of Sciences that since the surveys of
1S10-15 several islands have become
peninsulas, while many shadows havc
become islands or beaches. On the
southwest coast and in the neighboring
Aland Archipelago, pastures, gardens
and corn-felds occupy spots which were
under water few years ago. Steps are
being taken to accurately measure the
future progress of this geological phe-
nomenon. j Arkansaw Traveller.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1887-06-09
A Man Who Lives In n Tree,

Mr.. Haywood, better known as "the
man who lives in tree" has built a
new house few feetn rth of the old
one in Washington. As there were no
tall trees growing where he wanted his
house, he has put it on a scaffold fifty
feet high. A bridge connects it with the
old house. Mr.. II woods idiosyncrasy
is strong one, aud he gives good rea.
sons to support it. Those who think he
squeer in the upper regions are mis-
taken. He is matter of fact man, with
excellent record as clerk in the interior
Department. He is a shrewd speculator
in real estate. His house in the tree
attracted attention to the beautiful lots
near by, and he sold them to good ad-
vantage. Mr.. Haywood has but one
arm, but his lungs are good. He say:
consumption can be cured by living ir
trees as he does, where nothing but pure
air can be breathed. - New York Sun.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1887-06-09
Starving tho Teeth.

Teeth are just as easily starved as the
stomach, said q lecturer in Boston the
other night. ''The fact is thatyo and
your fathers have from generation to
generation been industriously starving
your teeth. In one way it is blessing
to have been born of poor parents.
What food the poor give their children
is of variety that goes to make strong
bones and teeth. 1t is the outside of all
the grains of all cereal food that con
tains the carbonate and phosphate OF
lime and traces of other earthly salts
which nourish the bony tissues and build
the frame up. If we do not furnish to
the teeth of the young that pabulum
they require they cannot be possibly
built up. 1t is the outside of corn, oats,
wheat, barley and the like, or the bran,
so called, that we sift away and feed to
the swine, that the teeth actually require
for their proper nourishment. The wis
dom of man has proven his folly, shown
in every succeeding generation of teeth,
which become more and more fragile
and weak ,,
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1887-06-09

Carrying tho Creel.

Tho mode Of procedure In tho village
Of Galashiels was as follows: Early in
the day after the marriage those inter-
cstcd in the proceeding assembled at the
house of the newly welded couple
bringing with them t'crcel," or bas-
ket which they filled with stones. The
young husband on being brought to the
door had the creel firmly fixed to his
back, and with it in this position had to
run the round of the town, or at least
the chief portion of it, followed by a
number Of mon to see that he did not
drop his burden; the only condition on
which he was allowed to do so being
that his wife should come after him and
kiss him. As relief depended altogether
upon his wife, it would sometimes hap
pen that tho husband did not need to
run more than few yards;but when she
was moro than ordinarily bashful, or
wished to have little sport at the ex-
pense of her lord and MASTER which it
may bo supposed would not unfrequent-
ly be the case-he had to carry his load
considerable distance. This custom
was very strictly enforced, and the per-
son who was last creeled had charge OF
the ceremony, and he was naturally anx.
ious that no one should escape. The
practice as far as Galashicls was con-
cerned came to an end about one hun
drcd years ago with the person of one
Robert Young, who, on the ostensible
plea Of sore back, lay abcd all the day
after his marriage and obstinatcly re-
fused to be creeled. He had, it may be
added in exteuuation, been twice mar
ried before and had on each occasion
gone through the ceremony of being
crecled, and now, no doubt felt that he
had had quite enough of erecting. Il All
the Year Round.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1887-06-09
Meteoric Thunder.

The most rapid cannon shot, accord
ing to NJ. Him, scarcely reach a speed
of 1000 feet per second, while meteor.
ties penetrate the air at the rate OF
twenty. five or thirty miles, and ever
more, per second. With this velocity
the air is at once raised to a tempera.
ture of 1000 TO 10, 900 degrees, and the
meteorite's surface is torn away by
atmospheric friction and vaporized by
the heat. The sounds produced range
from the whistling of bullet to the
crash and roll of thunder. They are
explained by this author as resulting
from the rush Of ar 10 fill the gap in the
rear rather than from actual explosion,
being analogous 10 thunder after light
ming.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1887-06-09
HUMOROUS.

A striking performance-a boxing
match.
A Western lady tainted when her bon
net caught fire. She naturally felt light
headed.
Hc-What are you thinking off, She
Nothing. He (absent-mindedly)-Yo
hatter me.
The man who believes talk is cheap
never employed lawyer.
"What kind Of pudding is this,
waiter?" "Tapioca, sir" 'Is it2 I
thought it was mediocre"
A Pennsylvania musician fell from a
second-story window, and found the
pitch uncomfortably high.
A western man has had needle taken
out Of his body. He now knows how to
account for the stitches IN his side.
An economist has sagcly observed that,
no matter how large its population may
become, there will be enough earth to
60 round.
eyes" said Fogg, "as success J
have always been failure, but as
failure have always been an unquall'
fed success"
A lady advertiscs for sale baboon,
three tabby cats, and parrot. She
states that, being now married, she has
no use for them.
'Its all very WELL" said the grave
digger, "to advise young man to be-
gin at the bottom and work up, but in
my business it isn't practicable"
Ministcr-'I wish 1 could do some
thing with the choir to stop that con.
slant chewing of gum. It's detes table,"
Leader "No, it isn't; its spruce"
In the bright lexicon of youth there is
no such word as fail, but later on, when
the youth gets into business for himself,
then the word shows up in good shape.
A Kentucky negro threw lump of
earth at a mocking- bird and knocked a
mule stone dead. If he had thrown at
the mule he would probably have
knocked barn over.
When man complained about a
hotel with no means of getting out in
case CT fire, Popkins sail that he didn't
care for means to get out of hotel.
What he needed was means for staying
there.
An agricultural exchange asks show
to make hogs pay" This is hard
question to answer The best way to
avoid the difficulty is not to sell hog
anything unless he pays for it in ad-
vance.
Don't you think the people around
here are very sociablcN asked Cobwig-
ger of new ncighbor. "Ycs, indeed, l
do" was the hearty response. "Only a
! moment ago I met a bcggar and he held
out his hand to me-"
"Nothing but trials and tribulations
and disappointments. l am disgustcd
with it al!" "Aud what are you going
to do about it2' II am going to quit
the earth" Horifed.) "You don't
mean you are going to commit suicidea"
mo, l am going to take a sea voyage"
Say, why do you laugh
With such hearty zestf
1--WE found dollar
In last summers vestm
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1887-06-09
A Featherel Mimic.

M. D'Orbigny, a traveller who was
passing through Guiana, in South
America, was, when cncamped one night
in the edge of wood, awakened by
what he look to be the cries of man in
distress. He listen d, and heard, fol-
lowing each other in great rapidity, what
seemed to be scream of terror aud dis.
pair, then supplication, and then a cry
as of one dying. The traveller lcaped
from his couch, seized his gun, and
hastily woke his Indian guide.
"Comc this instantr ho cried.
''There is some one being murderc in
the thicket. Let US go to his assis tancc."
Thereupon the cries were repeated,
ami the Indian listened. He burst into
a laugh.
"What do you mcana" asked the trav-
cler.
"That, sir, said the guide, 'is the
tion-tion bird, perched on a limb some
where in the ncghborhood. 1t is only
piece of mockery. Presently you will
hear him laugh"
And then, in fact, wild shout as of
laughter rang out on the night air.
The tion-tion is q sort OF South Amer
ican mocking bird, which has an extra
ordinary gift of imitation. 1t is also a
bird of great beauty of plumagc. 1t is
sometimes called the 'yelow-neck." "
Its feathers are Of lively colors and its
tail is brilliant and spreading. The
natives use its feathers to decorate their
hats with on feast days and turn their
head-gear into golden crowns in appear
1ncc.
The bird mimics almost every sound
he hears and initiates the speech Of
men as successfully as the parrot does.
The inhabitants OF Guiana assert that he
can initiate faithfully the accent of the
English, French and Spanish. Natural
sounds and the cries of animals of every
sort he reproduces very clcverly.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1887-06-09
PRICE THREE CENTS.
Are They Gladl

II she were here
To take my hand and ask, what Is II
dearf
She would not see the wrinkles on my facs
Nor note the silver where the gold had place.
Upon my faded lip she'd leave kiss.
And whisper Darling and she would not
miss
The vanished rose, or il she did, would say,
"How you have ripened since went away"
The blemishes that others might despise
Would still be beautiful to mothers eyes.
II she were here,
She would not mind the changes; ii tear
Should ill my eye, know that she would,
see,
And give sweet consolation unto me;
Yet, in her heart, some things would little
heed,
Knowing how much their discipline 1 need
And so, think, though heaven be far,
And friends can see us even as we are,
They may be glad, like loving motherhood,
Because they know how all things work for
good.
-[Juia May in Congregationalist
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1887-06-09
"Stcrling."

In the time of Richard CmIr dc Lion
money coined in the eastern part of Ger.
many came into special request in Eng
land on account of its purity, and
was called casterling money, as all
the inhabitants Of those parts were
called easterlings-from which came the
term sterling, as expressive of stand
ard purity. The historian Camden says
that men were sent for from easterling
county in the reign of King John to in
struct the English in coming money,
and he derives the word sterling from
this circumstance. -[London Referee.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1887-06-09
Strange Kind of Hen.

'My dear" said Mrs. Ferguson Mont
gomery to her husband, 'why do they
keep that hen in the dime museuml l
don't see anything about it different
from the ordinary fowl"
Ferson opened his eyes in mild sur
prise.
swell, well, didn't you notice7 That
hen is one of the most interesting fea-
tures of the Dime. 1t hasn't any teeth"
"Is it possible2" meditatively replied
the spouse. well, i must go down
sgain". Il Minneapolis Journal
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1887-06-09
The SnaiPS Pace.

A snaiPs pace need not be used any
longer as term, more or less indefinite.
By an interesting experiment at the
Polytechnic the other day it was asccr-
tanned exactly and reduced TO figure;
which may now be quoted by persons
who favor the use of exact terms. A
half dozen of the mollusks were per-
mitted to crawl between two points ten
feet apart and the average pace wa:
ascertained. From this it was easy
enough to calculate that one snail car
crawl mile in just fourteen days.
[Terrc Haute Express.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1887-06-09
A Natural Inference.

"Yes," said Miss Spinstcr, with an
engaging simper, 81 have seen twenty
six springs"
"Who is your oculstf" inquired Mr..
Oldboy.
"My oculist2"
"Yes. Ifyou have only seen twenty
six springs you must have been blind at
some time. "-1Bazar.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1887-06-09
Business EnternriSe.

The train was approaching Troy.
care you going to eat your dinner at
the railroad restaurantr he asked of
passenger.
yes" was the reply.
'Just slip that card in your pocket"
be whispered; I'm an undertaker."-
New York Sun.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1887-06-09
Repariee.

''Good gracious, Jane! why didn't
you marry monkey and be done with
it9"
"oh,' smiled Jane, 81 thought yoL
might want 10 marry some time, and
wouldn't take youE las, chance. Wash
ington Critic.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1887-06-09
An Authors Greatest Difficulty.

Young Author 60 cditoD-"Getting a
pub ishe-, ! have heard, is the most diff
cult thing in aathorship.'
f litor-''I don't think so.n
Author-"Ah, you encourage me.
What, then, is the most difiiculii'
Getting readers"
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1887-06-09
Indian Summer.

Tho sunlight, in warm and mellow tide
Upon this Indian summer day descends;
Earth, sky, and all tho view of waters wide
In silent and harmonious beauty blends
AL ng The southwark slopes the aftergrass
Still shows the emerald shade Of summer
time;
With lingering pace troop of zcphyrs pass,
And oft rereat verse of mysticrhyme.
The vapor ships that slowly cross the sky
Are smooth and fleecy, like the clouds of
Juno,
And only trees that leafless meet my eye
Remind me earth has passed from Natures
noon.
IA. F. Browne.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1887-06-09

Prof. Baird says that fishes sometimes
live to be $50 years old. Now, we can
understand why they are in no hur.
ry to partake of tie tempting morsel at
the end Of our line.
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1887-10-19

AUsTRALIA's endeavor to learn
something about the south poe re-
gion is natural and commendable.
That quarter has been neglected to q
large extent in the past. the reason
for which is the fact that exploration
in the opposite quarter of the globe,
while it presented fewer obstacles, had
more attractions for the adventur-
GUS. Australia has g. greater practi-
cal interest, on account OF contiguity,
in studying up the geography of the
Antarctic regions than most other
countries have, and it is not likely to
be crowded with rivals in this work for
q few years to come, at least.
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1887-10-19

bodies Of six insane women, who had
met death by asphyxiation and burning
were recovered and three more were
found in an injured condition. Two of
the dead were unrecognizable. The
names of the others are: Mrs. Margaret
Pitts, Miss Jennie B. Hail. Miss Evelyn
Scribner and Miss Charlotte Knowlton.
The injured are: Miss Caroline Knowl-.
ton, cousin ofCharlotte, perhaps fatally;
Miss Jane Black and Miss Mary Ogle.
But for the heroic conduct of the physi-
clans and attendants, who rushed into.
the binding smoke and flames and
dragged the terror-stricken insane
people from the chapel, the loss
of life must have been terrible.
AS it was, the side of the chapel
was on fire before all the unfortunates
had been removed. The fire started in
the laundry, one-story building, which
adjoins the wing in which the chapel is
located. The prompt response and active
work of the firemen prevented disas-
trous spread of the flames and the loss
to property will fall below $25, 900.
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1887-10-19
HE WILL SHOW FIGHT.
A Canadian Captain Goes Sealing Pre-
pared to Fight Yankee Cruisers

pared to Fight Yankee Cruisers.
HALIFAX, N. S., Oct. 15.-Great inter
est attaches to the approaching depart
ure from this port of the schooner Hou-
lette for the Alaskan seal fisheries. The
Roulette for two years has been en-
ployed as Canadian fishery cruiser.
Capt. Grant, Nova Scotian, who is ex-
tensively engaged in Alaskan seal fish
cries from Victoria, B. c., has purchased
her. Capt. Grant says he will teach the
Yankees a lesson if any attempt is
made to capture the Roulette. He is
arranging to obtain cannon and COM
plete outfit of small arms and ammuni-
ton. Capt. Grant says he is going out
to take seals on the open sea and if any
American cutter attempts to interfere
with him or his vessel there will be
fight.
Capt. Grant commanded the clipper
ship Louisa Hatch when she was aptur-
ed and burned by the Alabama. and
Grant and his crew were placed in irons
and afterwards put ashore and left by
Capt. Semles upon an island near the
equator.
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1887-10-19

THE Russian Government offers
prizes for lamps that will burn heavy,
unrefned naphtha oil; first, $500
roubles for a single lamp of cheap con-
struction; second, 1000 roubles for a
lamp of better construction. The
Russian war minister offers three
prizes each of 500 roubles for stove
that will burn naphtha refuse; for a
cheap galvanic battery for electric
lighting and third for phosphoric sub
stances to be used in illuminating.
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1887-10-19
The national Indebtedness has been

The national Indebtedness has been
reduced to the extent of $23, 9O2, $40
in the first quarter of the current
fiscal year, $14,247, 969 of this sum
being credited to September. This is
equivalent to reduction of about
$95,OOO,OOO year, which is So. OOO,-
900 more than that of the fiscal year
1886, and 100000 less than that
Of 1887. From present Indications,
however, the debt payment will hard
ly exceed $9O,OOO,OOO this year, if it
equals that sum. A curtailment of
he revenues will have to be made in
the coming session of Congress, and
there is probability that some of the
changes may go into effect before the
new fiscal year begins.